Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-24

| see, captain, she 1OOleQ me once before.
knew she would say anything to get
me back, but the last letter | wrote her
told her | was coming home and I'd
| be there for Christmas. And yesterday
and last night | walked all the way
from Paducah through the snow, and,
captain, can't walk any more"
He had forgotten his present trouble
| in the recital of his adventures. He
seemed suddenly to remember his posi-
ton. He looked at the captain with
great, pleading eyes.
Captain" be almost sobbed. iii
work. Please, sir, let me go!'' and
then the little chap broke down, and
the tears had to come.
The captain got up and had to look
through the little window. He blew his
nose and wiped it carefully. Then he
sat down again.
"Weli, yell" he SAID, 81 wouldn't
cry about it sonny. 1 reckon we can
fix it for you, | expect you do want to
see your mother sure 'nuff.''
Thank you, SIR said the boy, dry
ing his eyes. 81 never will forget your
kindness, captain, and now I'm ready
| for work"
The captain looked a. the boy and
laughed.
You needn't do anything, sonny.
| just stay aboard and make yourself
comfortable.
But the boy persisted and the cap
tain told him 10 go below and do what
eve- the mate commanded.
| An hour later the Staver was making
the best of her way up the ice-tilleu
turbulent Mississippi, and the captain
had nearly forgotten about the boy. He
worked with the crew, pulling on sleety,
frozen ropes, wheeling coal to the fur
mace. doing whatever the men would
let him. They were rough. kind-heart-
ed men. They joked the boy in their
bluff way and told him he had better
lie-down by
Iney had supper in dirty mess
room, where the men slept on little
shelves against the wall. He was glad
when he crept in between the rough
blankets, and he listened to the men
talking about one Bill Howe, who it ap-
peared was an extremely unpopular per-
sonage employed as a captain of the
watch. Their conversation was not of
interest to Ben. He was soon asleep.
At midnight he was awakened by the
| grulf voice of man who was shaking
| the deck-hand in the next berth.
Rouse up. English! rouse up! hustle
out now! Want a man on the lookout.
Come now, pile out!''
You 90 to -" said English.
The man let him alone He came tc
Ben's bed.
Hello! who's this? Pile out here,
young feller You'll do as we'll as any
body else. Pile out now! Don't lay
there all night"
The boy was on his feet in mo-
| ment. .
What do you want me to do?" he
asked.
well, you are sweet-scented speci-
men. you are" SAID the man. cycling the
boy disdainfully. Come on with me!
I'll soon show YOU what you've got to
| do. you tow-colored tramp you. Where
the devil did you come from, any
| way?"
The deck-hand known as English
| looked over the side of his bunk.
Look here, Bill Howe" he grum-
bled, do you mean ter say you're 60
| ing ter put that there kid out on the
| front?"
Il mean to say I'm going to do just
what | blame please" said Bill.
well, you ought TO be ashamed of
yourself, you white livered puppy"
said the deckhand with some warmth.
Pm pretty tough man myself, but
d-m me if Pm going to see such a
outrage as that You 60 on back to
bed. sonny; I'll take your place.
Nav you don't neither" retorted
Bill. You wouldn't come when l
called you. and I'm captain of the
gang, and what | say goes. and don't
| you forget it. E" and before English could
interfere he had caught the Dov rudely
by the arm and pushed him from the
| cabin.
.'Kidll be back inside O. ten min
utes." reflected English, when he was
through cursing Bill Howe, and then he
dozed off to sleep again.
1t was terribly cold on deck. The
| boy shivcred rs the man led him over
| the long line of barges. Finally they
reached the last barge in front of the
steamer. There was torch burning
in an iron frame. The man told the
boy he must keep sharp look out
aneau, anu Wnen ne saw dangerous
drift coming toward them he must
signal the pilot by waving light.
| '.All ri-right, sir" chartered the boy,
and the man swore at him two or three
times and went back to the steamer
The storm of wind and sleet was
over. The night was beautiful and
still. The deep, measured breathing of
the tug away back in the rear. the
crushing of the ice along the banks.
| and now and then the howl of Il famlsh-
ed wolf from the swamp lands on either
shore only made the frozen silence
more awful and sublime. And above
him the stars seemed doubly brilliant
through the clear, cold air, and before
him was the great mad river filled
with flashing. fantastic, ghostly forms
that moved, and changed, and waved,
and seemed to beckon him. And it
was SO cold, SO terribly, deathly coH.
An hour-two hours went by. The
boy kept his eyes fastened on the river.
but every bone in his frail body WAS
| trcm bling and his face was purple The